Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1887-07-13
The President and the Grand Army.


Grand Army of the Republic, appears in
another column. Since it was received,
the people there have taken counsel to-
gether and determined to invite the Presl-
dent and Mrs. Cleveland to be the guests
of that city for the week commencing Octo-
Der 2, 1887. The Mayorof the city, and a
Committee he will select, are deputed to
wait on the President and deliver the invl'
tation, with an urgent request of its accep-
lance, in order that they may give him a
welcome that will demonstrate the respect
and love they have for him as public Of
ffcer and as a man.
The following from the New York Times,
leading Republican journal will be read
with interest by every fair-minded man OF
all parties =
"The dignif1ed and patriotic letter OF the
President withdrawing his acceptance OF
the invitation to visit St. Louis during the
encampment there of the Grand Army OF
the Republic is calculated to make that Or
ganization ashamed of the conduct OF some
of its conspicuous members. WINE ne
speaks of the organization with the utmost
respect, and refuses to believe that 1t IS re-
sponsible for the unworthy utterances that
have induced him to reconsider his lnten-
ton of visiting st. Louis, it is to be fsared
that the entire incident will tend to lower
the Grand Army in the esteem and respect
of the country at large. It will not hurt
the President, but there is danger that II
will hurt an organization made up OF vet
Grams whcm the people have every reason
to honor and every desire to honor.
The reasons given by Mr.. Cleveland for
Withdrawing his acceptance are worthy OF
his Character and his office. They are in
no respect personal and give no indication
of a feeling of resentment on his part. His
regret is natural and unaffected, but evil
IDENTIFY not due to any intended slight or in
suit to himself. He looks beyond and
above that. He was unwilling to expose
the dignity of the office which he bears as
sacred trust from the people. He was
unwilling to be the occasion for anything
that would mar the harmony and good
| feeling of the Grand Army meeting or to
stand in the way of free expression of any
sentiment that might there be represented,
and above all he hoped that the first meet
| ing of that organization in Southern State
might serve to promote F'ttle fraternal feel
ing fast gaining ground throughout tbs op-
| tire land and hailed by every patriotic citl-
zen as an earnest that the Union has really
and in fact been saved in sentiment and in
spirit, with all the benefits it vouchsafes to
a united people, and with that result he
was anxious not to interfere.
In SO far as the Presidents letter does
honor to his patriotism and his judgment,
| its occasion does dishopor to those who are
responsible for it. Their motives were no!
patriotic or worthy Of veterans whose cniei
glory is that they fought for the preseiva-
ton of the Union, and who should be fore
! most among those who desire to make that
Union perfect The source of the conduct
aud public utterances of such men as Gen.
Fairchild, Gov. Foraker, and Gen. Tuttle,
and oil those of less consequence whom
they have stirred to needless words ana
| foolish action, is not far to seek. The
Grand Army Of the Republic is a non par
tisan organization and its constitution for
| bids it to mingle in politics. A large ma
| jority of its members are Republicans, and
IS a natural consequence most Of those
high in it's councils, especially ip the West,
where party feeling is strong, belong &c
that party As the President is Demo
GRAFT, and as new Presidential contest is
coming on next year, the prominent poll
| ticians in the organization were under
strong temptation to Try to swing it against
the Administration. Some Of then; being
more politicians than patriots, and moi
gifted with great aagaeity, have plainly
yielded to that temptation. The veto OIL
the Dependent Pension bill under a solemn
sense of duty furnished the occasion or the
pretext for the effort to turn the veterans
against the President. The motives ap-
pealed to were the most selfish under which
men set, and the instigation for the appeal
to these motives game from the pension
agents at Washington, TIE nost rapacious
and INSCRIPTIONS Of the men who heaet the
public Treasury.
But the country sustained the President
in vetoing the Dependent Pension bill, and
it will sustain him against the attacks of
pseudo patriots in and out of the Grand
Army Of the Republic. If that organiza-
ton permits itself to be dragged into poll
tics by such men as Fairchiid and Foraker
and futile it will be fatal to the purpose
for whch,it was formed. 1t will breed dis
aenson,. division, and discord, and the no.
BILE organization will go to pieces, while
the Republican party will be injured and
not helped by its fate. The country has
good feeling and the people will resent any
effort to impeoe its progress in that direc
ton. It is to be hoped that the events of
the last few weeks viii have SOLDERING eff
feet upon those veterans whom politicians
have been trying to stir up to renewed
strife and that they will save their own
patriotic organization from the secession
and disunion which these efforts are calcu-
lated TO nroduceD
The Times has the following special from
St. Louis On the 18th inst :
The invitation to President Cleveland
and wife has new become State question
instead of city affair. Mayor Francis
yesterday received letter from promi-
nent State officer suggesting that every
county in the State send representative
with the St. Louis delegation to Washing
ton. The Mayor has adopted the suggest
ion and tomorrow will issue a call for rep
resentative from each of the one hundred
and fifteen counties in the State.
Senator John Sherman at Nashville, TenD.,
and at Springfield, Illinois.
LOOK UPON THIS PICTURE AND THEN UPON
THAT.